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$39.7K

$84.4K

$147.7K

How much do assistant or associate professor jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 28, 2026, the average yearly pay for assistant or associate professor in Oak Ridge, TN is $84,435.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $56,400.00 and $107,600.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How do Assistant or Associate Professors typically balance teaching, research, and service responsibilities?

Assistant or Associate Professors often juggle a combination of teaching courses, conducting research, and contributing to departmental or university service. Balancing these responsibilities requires strong time management, as teaching demands regular preparation and student interaction, while research involves securing funding, publishing, and attending conferences. Service duties, such as committee work or academic advising, are also integral and can vary by institution. Many professors find it helpful to establish clear priorities each semester and communicate proactively with colleagues and department heads to manage workloads effectively.

What are Assistant or Associate Professors?

Assistant and Associate Professors are academic faculty members at colleges or universities. An Assistant Professor is typically an entry-level, tenure-track position, responsible for teaching, conducting research, and engaging in service to the institution. An Associate Professor is a mid-level, often tenured position that reflects a higher level of experience and accomplishment in teaching, research, and service. Both roles involve mentoring students, publishing scholarly work, and contributing to the academic community.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Assistant or Associate Professor, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Assistant or Associate Professor, you generally need an advanced degree (typically a PhD), a strong record of research, and teaching experience in your academic field. Familiarity with learning management systems (LMS), academic publishing platforms, and data analysis tools is usually required. Outstanding communication, mentorship, and organizational skills help foster student engagement and successful collaboration with colleagues. These competencies enable professors to excel in research, deliver impactful instruction, and contribute meaningfully to their academic communities.

What is the difference between Assistant Or Associate Professor vs Lecturer?

AspectAssistant Or Associate ProfessorLecturer
Required CredentialsDoctorate or terminal degree in fieldMaster's degree often sufficient; some positions require doctorate
Work EnvironmentAcademic institutions, research, teachingPrimarily teaching-focused, often in colleges or universities
Employer & Industry UsageUniversities, colleges, research institutionsColleges, universities, vocational schools
Common Search & ComparisonYesYes

Assistant and Associate Professors are primarily involved in research and teaching, often holding tenure-track positions requiring a doctorate. Lecturers focus mainly on teaching duties, usually with a master's or doctorate, but typically without research responsibilities. Both roles are common in higher education, but their responsibilities and career paths differ.

What are popular job titles related to Assistant Or Associate Professor jobs in Oak Ridge, TN? For Assistant Or Associate Professor jobs in Oak Ridge, TN, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What cities near Oak Ridge, TN are hiring for Assistant Or Associate Professor jobs? Cities near Oak Ridge, TN with the most Assistant Or Associate Professor job openings:
Assistant Or Associate Professor jobs near you
Infographic showing various Assistant Or Associate Professor job openings in Oak Ridge, TN as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 89% Full Time, 10% Part Time, and 1% Temporary. Highlights an 97% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 2% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $84,435 per year, or $40.6 per hour.
Teaching Assistant or Associate Professor in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering to start (Fall semes

Teaching Assistant or Associate Professor in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering to start (Fall semes

The University of Tennessee Knoxville

Knoxville, TN • On-site

Full-time

Posted 3 days ago

University Of Tennessee, Knoxville rating

7.2

Company rating: 7.2 out of 10

Based on 59 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

384th of 612 rated colleges and universities

Job description

Description
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) invites applications for a full-time (9-month), teaching-focused faculty position at the rank of Teaching Assistant Professor or Teaching Associate Professor (non-tenure track) with a start date of 8/1/2026. The successful candidate will support and enhance undergraduate education through high-quality instruction and instructional leadership. The appointment is expected to include classroom instruction of six (6) courses per academic year and related academic duties such as course coordination, curriculum development, and student mentoring. Summer teaching is optional and carries additional summer payment. Rank and initial appointment will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.
Primary teaching needs include core undergraduate courses in:
- Mechanics-Statics
- Mechanics/Strength of Materials
- Manufacturing Processes and/or Machine Design
- Senior Design for Mechanical Engineering
Responsibilities
- Teach undergraduate courses in the solid mechanics area, including Statics, Mechanics of Materials, Manufacturing Processes, Machine Design, and Senior/Capstone Design.
- Develop course materials (syllabi, lectures, assignments, exams, labs/activities) and implement evidence-based instructional practices.
- Coordinate multi-section courses and contribute to course assessment and continuous improvement activities (e.g., ABET-related assessment) as appropriate to rank.
- Maintain regular office hours and provide academic support and mentoring to students.
- Participate in departmental, college, and/or university service consistent with instructional-track faculty expectations, approximately equivalent to two (2) courses per year.
The Tickle College of Engineering (TCE) is in the midst of an unprecedented period of growth and success, including adding over 30 new faculty to the college as part of ambitious hiring campaigns led by Chancellor Donde Plowman and Dean Matthew Mench. The college has set records in research expenditures, enrollment, incoming student GPA, intellectual property development, and USNWR rank in the past three years. New facilities include the state-of-the art Zeanah Engineering Complex, the University of Tennessee Manufacturing and Design Enterprise (TN-MADE) facility, and the Innovation South building now under construction that will house UTK's Fibers and Composites Manufacturing Facility (FCMF).
TCE currently has 203 tenure/tenure track and 79 non-tenure track faculty in its nine academic departments and offers 11 undergraduate, 16 MS, and 15 PhD/DE degree programs. Affiliated with TCE and located in Tullahoma, Tennessee, the UT Space Institute is a hub of aerospace and defense research. The college is also home to eight research centers and three interdisciplinary institutes. With approximately 4,300 undergraduate and 1,500 graduate students, the college sits 29th among public universities in the most recent U.S. News and World Report graduate rankings. Faculty in the college have won 29 early career awards (NSF, DOE, DARPA, AFOSR, and ARO) since 2016. In FY24, the college had annual research expenditures of $113.6M.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications for Teaching Assistant Professor
  • Education: Earned Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering or closely-related discipline by the start date.
  • Experience: instructor of record for undergraduate-level engineering course, or graduate teaching assistant role in undergraduate-level engineering course
  • Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Demonstrated potential for excellence in teaching and communication

Preferred Qualifications
  • Education: Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering, or closely-related discipline
  • Experience: development of active-learning strategies (e.g. demonstrations), course coordination among multiple sections and instructors, and/or leading learning assessment
  • Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: Familiarity with modern computation and instructional tools (MATLAB, Python, numerical methods, simulation-related instruction)

Additional Qualifications for Teaching Associate Professor (if applicable)
  • Earned Ph.D. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
  • Record of effective teaching at the university level, with evidence of instructional impact (e.g., course evaluations, peer reviews, course leadership).
  • Experience with curriculum development, course coordination, and/or leading course assessment.

Application Instructions
To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments. To be assured of full consideration, completed applications with all requested materials should be submitted on or before July 01, 2026. (apply.interfolio.com/187216) Applications will be reviewed continuously, but those received by July 01, 2026 will receive priority. If you have any questions regarding this position please contact Dr. Doug Aaron (daaron@utk.edu)
- Resume
- Cover Letter
- List of 3 Professional References

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